Treasurer McCord: See If Loved Ones Are Owed Unclaimed Property this ‘Grandparents Day’

Treasury works to return over quarter of a million dollars to organizations, service providers supporting PA seniors

Harrisburg – September 10, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — This Grandparents Day, State Treasurer Rob McCord encouraged Pennsylvanians to take a moment and search to see whether their loved ones are owed a portion of $1.9 billion in unclaimed property. A free online search at www.patreasury.gov may turn up a nice Grandparents Day gift for grandma or grandpa, said Treasurer McCord.

“You might be able to supplement that greeting card this year with a sizeable amount of property for grandma or grandpa,” said Treasurer McCord. “We have nearly $2 billion awaiting rightful owners, and there’s a good chance some of it may belong to you or someone you love. It’s worth a few minutes to search our free online database for your grandparents’ names, as well as the names of organizations important to them. The average claim is $1,200, which would make for a nice gift this year.”

Treasurer McCord said the Pennsylvania Treasury is scouring claims to see if money or property is owed to organizations across the Commonwealth that serve senior citizens in honor of Grandparents Day, which is Sunday, Sept. 9. The department recently sent claim forms for more than $276,000 to approximately 90 senior centers, nursing homes, and other organizations that support older Pennsylvanians. The identified claimants are located throughout the state, including in Allegheny, Bucks, Centre, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Luzerne, Mercer, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties.

“As our population ages, we see a greater demand for care and support services for our senior citizens, but funds for this important work are too often scarce or limited,” Treasurer McCord said. “I urge all senior organizations to keep the Pennsylvania Treasury’s Unclaimed Property Program in mind when searching for additional resources. It may not be a windfall, but every dollar found is one more that can be put to good use providing our grandparents and older Pennsylvanians with the attention, activities, and support they deserve.”

To search for unclaimed property, visit www.patreasury.gov or call 1-800-222-2046 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A member of Treasury’s Return Team will assist with their search and the claim process.

Each year, Treasury receives millions of dollars in unclaimed property – things such as abandoned bank accounts, forgotten stocks, uncashed checks, and contents of safe deposit boxes. Since January 2009, the McCord Treasury has returned more than $360 million to rightful owners and generated about $436 million for the state’s General Fund through the Unclaimed Property Program.

To learn more about Pennsylvania’s Unclaimed Property Program or to search for property, visit www.patreasury.gov or call 1-800-222-2046.

Media contact: Elizabeth Foose, 717-787-2991 or